Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-05-21
A Louisiana Sugar Plantation Of the Old
Regime.

Regime.
In the beginning Of 1898, when
Gayoso de Lemos was Governor OF
Louisiana, the Bore plantation was
visited by three illustrious strangers,
the Duke OF Orleans and his two
brothers, the Count of Beaujolais and
the Duke of Montpensier, of the royal
house of France, who, driven into exile
after the death of their father on the
scaffold, were striking examples of
those remarkable vicissitudes OF for
tune with which the annals of history
are so replete. When naousQaIetdire,
or guardsman, in the household troops
of Louis XIV, and watching over the
safety of the Majesty of France, little
did De Bore dream that the day would
come when three princes of the blood
would be his guests on the bank of the
Mississippi
This plantation was sagaciously and
tastefully laid out for beauty and pro-
ductiveness. The gardens occupied q
large area, and at once astonished the
eye by the magnifcence of their shady
avenues of orange-trees. Unbroken re-
treats of myrtle and laurel defied the
rays of the sun. Flowers of every de-
scription perfumed the air. Extensive
orchards produced every fruit of which
the climate was susceptible. By judi
cious culture there had been obtained
remarkable success in producing an
abundance of juicy grapes, every bunch
of which, however, when they began to
ripen, was enveloped in sack of wire
to protect them against the depreda-
tons of birds. The fields were cult
waited with such q careful observance Of
the variable exigencies of every sue
cessive season that there was no such
thing known as short or half crop, or
no crop at all. This was reserved for
much later days But. under the adj
ministration of Etienne de Bore, dur
ing a period of about twenty-five years,
from the first ebullition of sugar
kettle is 1895 to the time of his death
in 1920, every crop was regularly the
same within few hogsheads. When,
however, he ceased to exist, this seat of
order and prosperity became chaos of
disorder and ruin, and the estate finally
passed away from the family into the
hands of strangers.
It was self-sufficient little domain,
exporting good deal, and importing
but meagerly, so that the balance was
very much in its favor. It was largely
supplied with sheep and their wool,
with greese, ducks, turkeys, guinea
fowls, and every variety of poultry
without stint. Eggs were gathered by
the bushel. Pigeons clouded the sun,
and when the small black cherries
Called merises in French) were ripe,
those feathered epicures ate them vo-
raciously, got royalty drunk, and fall
ing from the trees, strewed the ground
beneath. A numerous herd of cattle,
under the inspection of old Pompey
and black youngster called Souris
Gin English maoese), on account of his
diminutive figure, pastured luxuriously
and grew fat. What a quantity of fresh
butter, rich cheese, milk, cream, and
clabber! Vast barns gorged with corn,
rice, and hay; hives bursting with
honey; vegetables without measure,
and so luscious; varied and liberal
supply of carriages always ready for
use, and horses for the saddle or for
driving, all glossy and sleek; spirited
mules, well-fed and well-curried-the
pride of the field hands; shrimps and
fish from the river; multitudes of craw-
fish from the deep bitches; raccoons
and opossums to gladden. the heart of
the most surly negro. Bore had made
of his estate both farm and plantation.
The discipline established on it was q
sort of military one. At dawn, when
it was time to go to the field and to
the other labors of the day, the big
bell rang. The whole gang of negroes
came to the house, in front of which
they all kneeled, and short prayer
was said, always in the presence of a
male member of the family, who stood
up with head uncovered. The same
ceremony was performed in the even
ing before they went to their supper
and their rest for the night.-Charles
Gayarre, in Harper's Magazine